I've Known Rain Too Long
by wayward-river
Summary: There's something about the rain that doesn't suit her. Byakuya/Yoruichi.


Yoruichi doesn't like the rain.

Not surprising, all things considered. She _can_ transform into a cat. There's something else about it, however, that doesn't suit her. Kisuke has suggested the mood of it, as rain, quite naturally, makes people gloomy. She has told him it's not that, exactly, to which he'd shrug and tilt his hat down.

It makes her restless. Especially tonight.

Kisuke sits beside her on the veranda, petting her fur in an attempt to calm her, yet it has little effect. Her skin prickles, hackles rising in agitation. Her tail jerks from side to side. The humidity feels heavy, reaching all the way to her bones, and far-away thunder urges a low, feline growl from within her chest.

Yoruichi rises and huffs. Kisuke withdraws his hand and looks at her, expectantly.

"I need to go somewhere. I can't just sit here. Don't wait up for me, and tell the children a bedtime story, no matter how Jinta protests."

Kisuke nods like an obedient housewife.

Yoruichi makes her way toward the end of the porch before stopping, angling her head to look at him.

"And tell them a _nice one._ The one you told them last time gave Ururu nightmares. Put girly things in it, like ponies. Little girls like ponies. If I lose precious sleep because she's crying again, I'll throttle you."

Kisuke nods again, but there's something in his eyes which makes her stay a minute longer.

"Be careful, Yoruichi."

Her fur bristles. "Humph. Telling me to be careful, it's as if you don't think I can take care of myself. Watch it, Kisuke."

He smiles and watches her go.

* * *

><p>It's raining in the Seireitei, too.<p>

Yoruichi leaps from rooftop to rooftop, the weight of her soaked pelt not slowing her at all.

She can see lights on inside some homes, people rushing for shelter in the streets below. She recognizes a few faces as she goes by, but doesn't bother to stop. She only wants to see one person tonight.

The clouds are a heavy, funeral-gray color, blacks and strange purples stirred within their depths. An occasional burst of thunder illuminates them from within. The Seireitei is quieter now, the few snippets of song or talk muffled by the storm she races through. The old shortcuts she took in her younger years are still here, and with each nearing step towards her goal, Yoruichi's heart beats faster.

The lights are still on in the manor, though she bypasses them in favor of one particular room, darker than the rest.

She takes shelter in a tree just outside, looking into the room through an open window. She can see him clearly from her perch. He's sitting at a low desk, a single lamp set beside it. A book is open before him, and from the view of his profile, Yoruichi can see his eyes moving quickly down the pages.

Her feline gaze rests upon him a moment more, before she leaps through the window and into his room.

Yoruichi chuckles when Byakuya's hand moves toward Senbonzakura before she even lands. "Looks like my training wasn't a waste of time after all. One hundred years ago and you wouldn't have budged an inch."

Byakuya's shoulders drop, fingers leaving Senbonzakura's hilt before setting it down once more.

She casts a kido spell, and Yoruichi is dry again.

They regard each other, the rain falling outside. Yoruichi takes the time to look at him closer. His dark hair is loosened around his shoulders, the ends falling well past his shoulder blades. The yukata he wears is a tired blue, secured to his hips with a brown obi. She likes the color of his haori; the gold is a spectacular shade of orange, and it brings a glow to his eyes.

Yoruichi pretends to be staring at the moth flitting above his head.

Byakuya closes the book, the sound louder than the thunder outside. "I hope this visit is of some consequence, Yoruichi."

She stretches lazily, rump up, front paws extended, yawning.

"The rain makes me restless, so I had to go somewhere. Soi Fon was out of the question, because the rain makes her grumpy. I can go to my estate whenever I want, now, so I didn't want to go there, either. You were the next best option. How lucky you are!"

She sees his mouth tighten at that.

"If you wanted someone to entertain you, you'll have to go elsewhere. Now, Yoruichi, I would like to get back to reading," Byakuya turns and lifts one hand to the book's cover. Yoruichi bounds from her place to land atop it, and she smiles.

His glare is as hot as lighting looks.

"Come on, Byakuya. It's been six years since the Winter War. Do you still despise my company that much?"

Byakuya doesn't look away. "Not precisely. I was simply enjoying my book, and I don't like to be interrupted while reading."

Yoruichi smirks this time, whiskers lifting upward. "Oh? And what's so interesting about this book? Interesting enough to kick a lady out of your home when it's storming? Imagine what people would say, Byakuya."

One fine eyebrow rises against his pale forehead. "It's perfectly acceptable for a man to deny a woman shelter if that woman is of a particular nature."

Her mouth falls open, imitating surprise. One of her paws lifts to her chest in a decidedly human fashion.

"A 'particular nature'! What exactly are you implying? Some gentleman _you_ are, Kuchiki!"

She likes the smirk on his mouth. It makes him look more his age. "I was not implying anything. You misunderstand my meaning. I was only saying, in a less brutal manner, that you're _irritating._"

She instantly turns and struts to the other end of the table, sitting with her tail curled over her paws. An arrangement of hydrangeas and iris flowers in the corner draws her attention. Her ire is gone, replaced with curiosity and mischief. He holds up one hand to silence her assumptions.

"Rukia will be promoted to a Lieutenant tomorrow."

Yoruichi looks closer, and notices a Chappy stuffed toy beside it. She laughs at the ridiculousness.

"And the stuffed toy?"

She sees a little color rise to his cheeks. It's the first time she's seen even a hint of embarrassment from him in years. "I had some...difficulty deciding which of the gifts she would like more. So I settled on both."

Something in her softens. Yoruichi can't name the emotion, but it's warm and nice-feeling. Like a long sunbath in the spring, on her favorite napping pillow.

"I have only one suggestion: Give her the Chappy toy _after_ the celebrations. She'll be humiliated if you give it to her in front of her peers. She's still young, after all."

He nods. They're silent again.

Byakuya's gray eyes go back to the flowers. She takes the distraction to transform, faster than it used to be, and when he looks at her again there is no surprise on his face.

Yoruichi's dark skin glows in the lamplight. She sits with her legs crossed, hands resting on either side of her thighs. He has to tilt his head up slightly to look her in the face, but he's otherwise still. Yoruichi brushes a lock of long purple hair from her shoulder, the humidity making it curl softly.

Their silence isn't awkward; they're adults, past pubescent curiosity and immaturity. Besides that, Yoruichi is certain he's seen many naked women by now, and she isn't modest. She can't help teasing him, though.

"So? Be honest. Do my breasts look better now than when you were a teenager?" Yoruichi grins, and it's more feline now than ever. "I still remember your face. I was afraid you'd burst into flames by how red it turned!"

He makes a sound almost like a snort, and he shakes his head. "I am not answering that question. It doesn't matter what I'd say, you'd pester me regardless."

The sound of her laughter is softer than the rain upon the rooftop.

"So it's a 'yes' then. I admit, I was pretty well-endowed back then, but the years without much fighting helped greatly."

She stands to walk to the shoji door, opening it just enough to peer outside. The Kuchiki gardens are still beautiful. The darkness gives the Autumn flowers and foliage an elegant, subdued aura. The mood suits him; though the years after the Winter War have made Byakuya less reserved, there's an air of refinement about him that he didn't possess as an adolescent. He's a man, now; a Captain, and a widower, too.

She feels something soft being placed around her shoulders, and Yoruichi looks down to see his golden haori there. Even his scent has changed, she realizes; rosewood, with a hint of clover. She turns from the doorway to face him, arms resting inside his yukata, the sleeves falling loosely down.

"Don't think too much of it. I only thought one of the servants might see you."

_He's still a terrible liar,_ she thinks.

Yoruichi pulls it closer around her, the golden hue matching her lowered eyes. There's a softness to her Byakuya has never seen before.

A lock her hair falls distractingly over one ear and down her neck; Byakuya brushes it away without thinking, and the momentary contact makes her look up. He can hear every last drop of rain as it falls. He's never paid close attention to her before now. As a teenager, he'd admired her for her strength and beauty, yet only now as a man can he appreciate it.

She seems to have stopped breathing altogether. Her lips are parted as if she'd paused mid-breath, eyes unwavering, heavily lashed, sharper with maturity. Byakuya likes the color of the haori against her skin.

He tells himself not to flinch when her hand rests, palm-flat, along the side of his throat. The pad of her thumb rubs softly between the hollow of his collarbones. Her skin is warmer than anything he's known, and the look in her eyes invites him in a way that scares him, for a moment.

Then her eyes close, and the warmth of everything is gone.

Yoruichi pulls away and slips the haori off. He takes it without remark, not knowing what to feel about this, or how. They both have changed so much. Byakuya is no longer the hot-blooded teenager she tutored in her spare time, and she's not just an annoying were-cat stealing hair ties.

She breathes in and runs a few fingers through her hair. He folds the haori and holds it beneath one arm. Now, the silence is awkward.

Yoruichi turns her head to look outside. Her voice is hoarse, although she's neither thirsty or out of breath. "Looks like the rain stopped. I'd better get going before it starts and I get soaked again."

Byakuya licks his lips and nods. Their eyes meet again on accident.

"Next time I'll send a message before I decide to visit. I don't want you to chop my head off, or have a heart attack, when I surprise you, Byakuya."

To her surprise, he shakes his head, hair like dark streams falling over him.

"No need. You're welcome to come back, unexpected or not. You always were. You just never knew it."

She smiles, slowly, honestly. Byakuya hopes she doesn't know how fast his heart beats when she does.

Yoruichi turns before he can think about it. "Right. Remember, give Rukia the Chappy toy _after_ the celebrations. Enjoy the rest of that oh-so-interesting book. Good night, Byakuya." She steps outside and transforms once more, leaping into a tree and out of sight.

Byakuya sighs and watches her go.

* * *

><p>Please remember that a favorite does not equal a review. I much prefer reviews over favorites. Thank you :)<p> 


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